Hidden Gems: Meet Caitlyn Sheff of The Coterie Wellness Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlyn Sheff. 

Hi Caitlyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I think this journey began long before I recognized I was on it. Much like others, the pandemic really shifted how I worked, who I worked for, and what type of work I was willing to do. When studios shut down in March 2020, myself and the rest of the instructors were immediately let go with no insight as to when we would reopen or what would come next. I began teaching online a few times a week because I knew that my job as a yoga teacher meant just as much to my students as it did to me. Once the stay-at-home orders ceased and we were allowed outside, myself and a few friends began teaching outdoors a few times a week. Little did I know that would be my first “studio.” When studios reopened, I found myself teaching at a couple different spots but constantly feeling more stifled than I ever had before. I resisted rigidity and the money-first mindset of it all. And as I reached my breaking point, one of the studios I worked for closed permanently. It was like someone put a small hole in a balloon and slowly seeped out my anxiety rather than bursting me all at once. I knew this was the universe telling me that it was my turn and that it would all be ok. It was my turn to find a space, create a community, and build an all-star team of friends and mentors. I began looking for space a month after it closed, and after a year and 2 months of strategy, securing loans, and construction, The Coterie finally came to life. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely been bumpy! The initial struggles were financial, of course. I feel like there is no way around those. I went through the Small Business Loan process to gain funding for the studio, which is a rigorous process to say the least. Through the SBA, I had to recount almost my entire financial history as well as project out the first two years of business by month. As much work as that was, it honestly set me up in such a healthy way because it forced me to really build a strong foundation for the studio and really make it all make sense. It held me accountable in a way that I don’t know if I would have done for myself. In full transparency, I did receive a couple of nos before I received the one yes that I needed. Loans are offered for a myriad of reasons, so the SBA has to sometimes float your project out to multiple lenders before finding the perfect fit. It was clearly well worth the work and the wait, 

The other major struggle was construction, which is another inevitable hurdle. The space we secured was an open warehouse-style shell, so we had to build out every single thing. From electrical to plumbing to walls, we had to build it all. I had an incredible team in Enbloc Construction, so thankfully, their expertise and time management kept it as controlled and on time as it could be. As with anything, there were just so many pieces outside of our control. With delivery times and labor costs longer and higher than ever, we had to get creative pretty often. 

Between funding procurement and construction, let’s just say I gained a healthy perspective on letting go of control, ha. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Coterie is a yoga studio located on the West Side of Charlotte, NC. We specialize in heated vinyasa yoga and offer 2 other formats to complement what we do best. Our three formats are called Prana (vinyasa yoga), Power (yoga/HIIT hybrid), and Peace (Yin yoga). We wanted 3 pillars that were intentional and purposeful so that our students could get everything they needed out of this space. We have one of the best teams around. Our teachers are beyond incredible and are all unique in the way they teach and curate the class experience. I truly think that this is what sets our space apart. All of us are friends in and out of the studio, and I believe that people feel that when they walk in. It’s like inviting someone over for a dinner party every single time. We host with the most, and we want you to feel comfortable and safe in our space. There is nothing transactional about us or about our classes. We want to connect with you as much as we want you to connect with yourself. Coterie is a synonym for community, and that’s what this space is all about. 

Sometime, yoga has financial obstacles that get in the way of building a community, and I think that is what I am most proud of. Our studio is a built-on sliding scale prices, meaning that people pay what they can (within a certain range) to participate. Thinking that everyone can and should pay the same amount for the same thing simply didn’t fit with our mission of accessibility and acceptance, so we went a different direction. Our drop-in classes are $8 to $27, allowing students the opportunity to pay whatever fits their lifestyle. Our unlimited memberships are on a tiered basis, starting at $95 for Community pricing, moving to $125 for Sustainer pricing, and capping out at $155 for Supporter pricing. This ensures that we focus on equity not necessarily equality because they are inherently different. We want everyone to be able to be here, which is why we created our financial foundation in this way. We know it’s not perfect, but I believe it’s a really big step in the right direction. 

If there is anything I want readers to know, it’s that you should trust yourself. Your ideas and your beliefs are valid, and they have the right to take up space in this world. Not everyone’s belief systems will manifest into a physical space, but if you feel something needs to change, change it. If in your heart you know you need rest, then take rest. If stepping off the hamster wheel of society is what you need, trust in yourself to step off and walk away. Your value is far beyond your job, your house, your social status. Trust that what you have inside is enough – yesterday, today, and every day after. 

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love Charlotte’s entrepreneurial energy. There is a vibe that if you can think of it, you can build it, and people will be intrigued by it enough to support it. It’s growing at a wildly fast pace, and there is an excitement to being a part of that. 

With that amount of growth, unfortunately, comes with a touch of greed, especially in the real estate industry. Prices of housing are through the roof, making it so challenging for people to not only find somewhere to live but to stay in that place for longer than a year. It puts us all in a nomadic state, which really can trigger feelings of instability, lack of safety and challenges our sense of belonging. My hope is that the market will slow down or that someone somewhere will realize that a place to life shouldn’t be a privilege. 

Pricing:

• Drop-in classes: $8 – $27
• Community Membership: $95/month
• Sustainer Membership: $125/month
• Supporter Membership: $155/month
• Class packages also available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thecoterie.studio/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoterie.studio/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-coterie-wellness-studio-charlotte

Image Credits
Will Jenkins
SimplisticPhobia
@sirwilltheartist